I heard this from a member of my garden club. When the large refill bottles that are used in water machines crack, they are no longer of use to hold water. My friend goes to the water store and asks them for their damaged bottles which they give to him for free.

He then uses a Dremel to cut a line around the top, removing the top with the spout on it (the part that slips into the water cooler). Now he has a large cloche that can be put over plants in the garden as a mini cold frame. These freebies will accommodate large plants and are more versatile than the expensive, fancy glass ones you can buy.

Use your old plastic milk bottles for cutting into plant labels. I use the straight sides. A permanent marker is best for writing on. Then the bottom can be used as a drip tray. Also if you just cut the bottom off, the top can be used as a mini cloche. You can make a handy scoop too.